International Student Story - Anmol Saini

Anmol Saini is a PhD student in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Anmol tells us about what lead him to research, and what he's achieved during his time in Adelaide.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I would describe myself as an entrepreneurial, problem-solving, adventurous and helpful person. I am from Dehradun, India, and left home at age 14 to come to the 'land down under' and complete my final years of high school at Ballarat Grammar in Ballarat, Victoria. After completing year 12, I moved to Adelaide for my tertiary studies, where I unexpectedly landed myself in a Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Reproductive Health and Genetics) degree at the University of Adelaide. I had never heard about it, but I was quite sure this degree had something to offer.

I was offered a summer research scholarship by the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, which developed my interest in research. My final year research project was in reproductive health, which taught me the skills required to perform different assisted reproductive techniques, like In Vitro fertilisation and Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). This led me to study Honours in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. I am also lucky to be a part of the Robinson Research Institute, which is a well-respected institute globally, because of my research. For my honours, I worked on a project related to human IVF. The project aims to increase IVF success rates in many advanced countries, along with reducing the cost of IVF treatment. 

After completing my honours in 2017, I took the next step and decided to embark on the journey to complete my PhD. I have always have been a believer of diversification in life, and that has lead me to manage my own hospitality company in India and a start-up company in South Australia. I am the Co-Founder and one of the Directors of The Indian Student's Club. Last year I was also elected as a committee member of the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) in South Australia. Along with that, I have always been a believer in giving back to the community and in networking! Since my first semester at the The University of Adelaide, I have been heavily involved in a lot of community work, volunteering and grabbing any opportunity that comes my way. This further led me to be a Peer Mentor for the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, a Student Ambassador with the domestic recruitment team, and a tutor for my Faculty, as well as a member of the South Australian Leaders.

I have been recognised for my hard work by receiving the Vice-Chancellor's Volunteer Achievement Award in 2016. In 2017, I was invited by the South Australian Government to participate in a panel discussion for young graduates about future jobs in Adelaide as part of a Biomedical Hub. The stage was shared by leading medical professionals including Chief Scientist of South Australia.

What is your goal once you have completed your degree?

Once I have successfully finished my PhD, I look forward to continue working in my industry. Nothing gives me more relief than seeing the smile on a couple's face when they hold their baby for the first time. Along with that, I’ll keep working on my companies, make them grow, and look out for new opportunities to work or have a business. The world is changing every minute so it's always good to keep an eye out for emerging opportunities!

Have you picked up any new hobbies since spending more time at home?

COVID-19 has been a challenging time, but I will say I did take this time for personal self-reflection, learning a few new skills or increasing my knowledge on growing a business. This led me to more virtual hangouts with my mentors to ask them the right questions. I also learned a few new tricks about time management, as starting to work from home was challenging. Since working from home, I could conduct more virtual meetings, and also catch up on my PhD work, and get more thesis writing done.

What do you miss about home?

I would say family, food, and good shopping options! Home-cooked food is always the first thing I look forward to when I go back home, which is followed by street food. Indian street food is a delicacy in itself, and the best thing every city has is its variety of street food. Next on the list would be good deals on shopping along with a vast variety of shops to buy from. Last but not least, I miss my family and our lovely dog!

Speed round!

Zoom or in-person?

In-person.

What's your go-to study music?

Soft music or some jazz/piano music.

Adelaide Hills or Adelaide's beaches?

Both, the Adelaide Hills and the beaches both have different vibes. 

Home delivery or home-cooked?

Both, but it depends on the weather outside.

Reading books or streaming TV/movies?

Streaming TV/movies. My favourite shows I've watched this year are Power and Billions. 

3 things you won't miss about COVID-19 restrictions?

• Social isolation
• Borders being shut
• Not being able to go out on weekends

3 things you won't forget about COVID-19?

• Restrictions on international travel
• Toilet paper hoarding
• Trying to cook new dishes